"I stopped eating, I could not sleep", Andrew Mitchell describes toll "Plebgate" row took on him

'I stopped eating, I could not sleep', Andrew Mitchell describes toll 'Plebgate' row took on himAndrew Mitchell has spoken of the pain he underwent as the controversy raged around him'I could not sleep. I also stopped eating,' he said.He revealed he was brushing his teeth when PM told him to quit

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UPDATED:

01:09 GMT, 24 December 2012

Stress: Former chief whip Andrew Mitchell has spoken of the torment he underwent as the 'Plebgate' row raged on

Andrew Mitchell says he stopped eating, lost a stone in weight and struggled to get out of bed as the ‘Plebgate’ storm raged.

He would sit for hours, clutching his BlackBerry and fretting about the crisis in his career, according to his first account of the scandal.

In an article yesterday, the former chief whip described how the crisis took its toll on him and his family. Mr Mitchell, 56, and his wife Sharon, a GP, have two daughters, Rosie, 21, and Hannah, 25.

He said: ‘/12/24/article-2252704-16A099D1000005DC-817_634x386.jpg” width=”634″ height=”386″ alt=”Row: This CCTV footage from Downing Street Shows Andrew Mitchell walking his cycle to the side gate after being refused exit from the double gates” class=”blkBorder” />

Row: This CCTV footage from Downing Street Shows Andrew Mitchell walking his cycle to the side gate after being refused exit from the double gates

Mr Mitchell was brushing his teeth when the Prime Minister told him by phone to quit after learning of the ‘toxic’ email purporting to be from a member of the public and apparently corroborating the police version.

‘It was completely untrue,’ said Mr Mitchell. After a ‘tense six-minute conversation’, he persuaded Mr Cameron to give him another chance.

But he admits his attempt to draw a line under the affair by publicly apologising ‘was a disaster’ and he resigned on October 19.